The present invention relates to a method and system for updating files, and more particularly, relates to a method and system for efficiently synchronizing remote files using file differentiation.
In many business environments, a server is used to store data that is pertinent to many employees or remote users of a business. The server is typically accessible by remote computer systems (xe2x80x9cclientsxe2x80x9d) to increase the availability of information to the remote users. By providing files on a server, which may be accessed by remote computer systems, dissemination of information through the company is increased. Remote access to a file is more critical in environments where a sales force or many employees operate away from the office. As an example, the remote employees rely on the information contained within the file to be informed about inventory changes, pricing data, and company events. Rather than remain connected to the server indefinitely and collect telecommunication charges or tie up phone lines, the remote users only intermittently connect their computers to a server for access to the files on the server. In these environments, the remote computer systems typically store the server file locally to support the remote application even when the client is not connected to the server. The intermittent connection is then used to send only changes made by the client application to the server and a pertinent set of changes from the server to the client. This type of remote computer system environment is called an Intermittently Connected (IC) environment. ICs have a wide variety of applications in sales force automation, insurance claim processing, and mobile work forces in general anywhere there are mobile users.
An important communication issue for this type of computer environment is the timely and efficient exchange of information between the clients and the server. The term xe2x80x9cfile transferxe2x80x9d is often used to describe the process of maintaining data consistency and integrity among server files and client files. There are many synchronization schemes for maintaining consistency. In some known file transfer schemes, various protocols and methods, for example compression to efficiently transfer files, are used.
Thus, heretofore an unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies in downloading files to a system quickly and efficiently.
The invention provides a system and method for efficiently transferring files using file differentiation. The invention may be conceptualized as a file differentiation system that includes a client device with a device file, a server device containing an original file and a revision file of the original file, and a delta file that identifies only the changes between the original file and the revision file.
The invention may also be conceptualized as a method for efficiently transferring files using file differentiation, the method comprising the steps of: (1) providing an original file; (2) creating a revision file of the original file; and (3) generating a delta file that identifies only the changes between the original file and the revision file.